1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to data-processing systems and, in particular, to an interface in a data-processing system for identifying operating parameters of storage systems and storage system enclosures. Still more particularly, the depicted illustrative embodiment relates to an interface in a data-processing system for identifying operating parameters of storage systems and enclosure elements included within a storage system enclosure, wherein the storage systems are coupled to the data-processing system utilizing a serial bus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many data-processing systems, it becomes necessary to connect a plurality of peripheral devices to the data-processing system. Such peripheral devices may include storage systems such as direct access storage devices, tape drives, CD-ROM drives, communication devices, and other devices. These devices are typically identified within a particular software program by a logical address. The logical address of a particular peripheral device is the address used by software when transferring data to and from the particular peripheral device. The logical address of a peripheral device does not indicate the physical location of that device.
A physical location of a particular peripheral device must be determined when the device requires maintenance. For example, if a power system element or fan element failed for a particular device, the physical location must be determined in order to make the necessary repairs.
Storage systems may be coupled to data-processing systems utilizing a variety of communication protocols or standards. One such standard is the small computer system interface, or SCSI.
The SCSI standard defines a particular command set. The SCSI may be implemented utilizing either a parallel bus or a serial bus. In a parallel bus implementation, each device is connected to one or more of the physical wires of the parallel bus in a multidrop line manner. Each device receives data on the bus simultaneously.
The SCSI standard may also be implemented utilizing a serial bus protocol. Currently, there are two such serial protocols: serial storage architecture (SSA) and fiber channel arbitrated loop (FCAL). The serial bus includes one or more physical wires which are connected in a serial manner from one device to another. Each device receives data serially, one bit at a time, where a device received data after the previous device in the serial loop has received the data in a point-to-point manner.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and system to identify operating parameters which include a physical location of storage systems within a data-processing system.